http://news.yahoo.com/feds-falcons-recovered-no-more-chick-rescues-133858209.html#!
This story ran yesterday in papers across the country and Canada. After a couple of years of trying to get good cooperation from state and federal wildlife authorities in Sacramento I was left with the one recourse of going to the press.
The feds were a little demeaning in their characterization of fuzzy chicks that are cute but that nest failure is a natural part of life. We know for a fact that some structures we put up are particularly bad for fledging falcons. They don’t slip and fall–they fly well and land poorly EVERY time they fledge. The problem on the underside of a bridge is that they do not get a second chance. We know that to be the case. I am willing to spend precious program money on the capture, rearing, and release, post-release monitoring (for eight weeks with help from volunteers and collaborators) to give these young a chance at a successful start in life.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has said no to a permit for that humanitarian act. The interesting thing is that the peregrine falcon is a state of California fully protected bird–only 13 birds are listed. Why is the federal government dictating management strategy to the State? If the State agrees with this management strategy why are developers and construction workers made to accommodate this fully protected species and climbers made to avoid routes with nesting peregrines while bridge fledglings are squandered?
The State and Feds can’t have it both ways. They have an inconsistent management strategy that at times favors peregrines to the great inconvenience of many, and at times completely ignores the well-being of peregrines causing their death.
Our elected officials are very good at asking pointed questions of agency officials. I suggest you ask yours to inquire about the topsy turvy management approach to peregrine falcons–a fully protected species just taken off the California list of endangered species in 2009. Why, we should ask, do they prefer to see them fledge into the sea when I would happily move them to a safe release site.
stewartfalcon 